Lead Software Engineer – React

Challenger Limited; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Employee share plan

Parental leave (18 weeks)

Parental leave flexibility

Challenger Day

On-site cafe

Central location near Martin Place

Fertility/ gender affirmation leave

Fitness Passport

Job summary

Challenger Limited is seeking a Lead Software Engineer (React) to drive the greenfield development of a modern React platform. You will architect the portal, build reusable components and establish engineering standards while coding and mentoring across delivery teams.

You will partner with Product, Architecture, Design and Accenture to deliver secure, scalable experiences and shape the technical foundations for Challenger's new digital capability.

Qualifications

• Significant hands-on experience designing, building and supporting enterprise-scale React platforms.
• Deep expertise in modern React architecture and state management patterns.
• Experience establishing front-end frameworks, reusable component libraries and engineering guardrails.
• Experience integrating front-end with enterprise APIs and BFF patterns.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools and governance of AI-generated code.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and evolution of Challenger's React portal architecture and engineering standards.
• Own the React platform's technical integrity as new capabilities are introduced.
• Shape decisions on React, micro-frontend architecture and platform scalability.
• Review and validate code quality across teams, including AI-assisted outputs.
• Design and implement CI/CD pipelines, testing, security and release practices.
• Ensure performance, accessibility and maintainability across portal experiences.
• Influence engineering teams and partners through technical leadership.

Skills

React architecture

Front-end architecture

Component libraries

API integration

CI/CD pipelines

Code reviews

AI-assisted coding

Security standards

Stakeholder comms

Education

Tertiary degree in CS/Software Eng/IT

Job description

Challenger Limited is an ASX-listed investment management firm managing $128 billion in assets (as at 31 March 2026). Life with us is fast moving and always exciting. Together we’re driving to deliver our vision to provide our customers with financial security for a better retirement. We achieve this goal by providing a work environment where people from diverse backgrounds, with a range of skills and experiences can contribute and succeed.

Lead Software Engineer – React

The Opportunity

The Lead Software Engineer (React) will help shape Challenger's next generation of digital experiences. Working within the Digital team and supporting the Customer Technology Uplift (CTU) programme, you’ll lead the greenfield development of a modern, scalable React platform that delivers intuitive, secure and connected experiences. As Challenger's React subject matter expert, you’ll combine hands‑on engineering with technical leadership - building the portal framework, component libraries, engineering standards and CI/CD pipelines that future teams will build on, while staying actively involved in coding, code reviews and solution design. You’ll work closely with Product, Architecture, Design and Accenture delivery teams, translating technical decisions into terms the wider business can act on - leading through influence. This role will set the technical foundations for Challenger's greenfield digital capability - defining the architecture, engineering standards and delivery practices that future portal experiences will be built on.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture & Standards

Lead the design and ongoing evolution of Challenger's React portal architecture, frameworks and engineering standards

Own the technical integrity of the React platform as new capabilities are introduced, partnering with Solution Architects, Designers and delivery teams on scalable, secure, maintainable solutions

Shape decisions on React, micro‑frontend architecture, API integration, authentication and platform scalability

Evaluate new technologies and engineering approaches to improve quality, performance and developer productivity

Hands‑On Delivery & Quality

Design and maintain high‑quality React applications and reusable front‑end components, staying actively involved in coding, code reviews and troubleshooting

Review and validate code quality across development teams, including AI‑assisted development outputs, ensuring adherence to engineering standards

Establish and maintain shared component libraries and development patterns that enable scalable delivery across multiple portal experiences

Integrate front‑end applications with enterprise APIs and Backend‑for‑Frontend (BFF) patterns, working with identity, security and backend teams to deliver seamless customer experiences

Design and implement CI/CD pipelines and quality controls ‑ testing, code review, security and release management that support secure, automated, reliable delivery

Identify and resolve performance, scalability, accessibility and maintainability issues, and support observability and operational readiness across portal environments

Partnership & Influence

Provide technical leadership and informed challenge to engineering teams and delivery partners, including Accenture, acting as a credible counterpart in design and delivery discussions

Communicate technical trade‑offs clearly to Product Owners and non‑technical stakeholders, translating architectural decisions into business impact

Lead delivery through influence rather than direct reports — setting direction and standards that Accenture and internal teams build against

Help establish Challenger's internal capability and technical ownership within the portal programme as it matures

The Team

This role reports to the Product Owner, Digital, and forms part of the Digital team and Customer Technology Uplift (CTU) programme. You’ll work closely with Product Owners, Solution Architects, UX/UI Designers, Technology Delivery Leads, Integration teams and Security specialists, and partner extensively with our technology partner’s engineering teams - operating as an embedded technical lead alongside on and offshore delivery resources. While the role initially has no direct reports, it is expected to take on responsibility for a developer as the internal React capability grows.

About You

• Significant proven hands‑on experience designing, building and supporting enterprise‑scale greenfield developments of React platforms, establishing the foundational architecture, application framework and reusable component libraries
• Deep expertise in modern React architecture, including component composition, custom hooks and local, shared and server‑state management, with the ability to select and govern patterns that support scalability, maintainability and performance
• Experience establishing front‑end frameworks, engineering standards, reusable component libraries and development guardrails
• Experience integrating front‑end applications with enterprise APIs and Backend‑for‑Frontend (BFF) architecture patterns
• Exposure to AI‑assisted software development tools and experience governing or validating AI‑generated code
• Experience designing and implementing CI/CD pipelines and automated software delivery processes
• Experience conducting code reviews and maintaining engineering quality standards
• Demonstrated ability to balance hands‑on development with technical leadership - influencing technical decisions and providing informed challenge to engineering teams, delivery partners or systems integrators
• Experience delivering customer, adviser or self‑service digital portal solutions
• Experience working within large‑scale digital transformation or platform modernisation programmes
• Tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology or a related discipline, or equivalent industry experience

Why Join Challenger?

You’ll join Australia’s leading investment management firm - a business with a clear vision to deliver customers financial security for a better retirement. As Challenger's React subject matter expert, you’ll set the technical foundations for a brand‑new digital capability, with the scope to shape architecture, standards and delivery practices from day one. For an engineer seeking greater strategic influence, genuine greenfield ownership and the chance to build something that scales, this is a rare opportunity to leave a lasting technical footprint.

• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Employee share plan
• Eighteen weeks paid leave for all new parents
• Flexibility on when, and how, parental leave is taken
• Challenger Day – one extra day off every year in recognition of the effort our people make
• Subsidised on‑site café and fantastic central location a stone's throw from Martin Place Metro
• Additional support leave (fertility treatment leave, gender affirmation leave)
• Access to Fitness Passport #LI-KM1 #LI-Challenger #LI-Hybrid

Challenger's employee value proposition guides how we work: Grow and realise your potential, supporting each other, stronger together and making things happen. Our culture encourages curiosity, considered thinking and meaningful contribution, with opportunities to build a broad and rewarding career. We are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace where people of all backgrounds, identities and ways of thinking can thrive, and promoting flexible working to support work‑life balance. Challenger is proud to be a Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality, a Family Friendly Workplace and recognised as a Bronze Employer in the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), the national benchmark for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion.

Job type: Permanent Posting Close Date : 16/10/2026 Life at Challenger is fast moving and always exciting. Together we’re driving to deliver our vision to provide our customers with financial security for retirement. Our people bring their diverse backgrounds and perspectives to a workplace which is inclusive, flexible, and driven by our values – act with integrity, aim high, collaborate and think customer. Our environment is one where our passionate teams can thrive. Our people quickly discover that a role at Challenger is much more than just a job. Our working environment is unique and encourages our employees to share their ideas and feel empowered to tackle new opportunities.